---
title: "Prime Minister Erdogan popular in Turkey broadly, but less so in Istanbul"
description: "A majority of Turks say they have a favorable view of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan"
date: "2013-06-05"
authors:
  - name: "Jacob Poushter"
    job_title: "Associate Director, Global Attitudes Research"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/jacob-poushter/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2013/06/05/prime-minister-erdogan-popular-in-turkey-but-less-so-in-istanbul/"
---

# Prime Minister Erdogan popular in Turkey broadly, but less so in Istanbul

As [anti-government protests continue](http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/05/world/europe/turkey-riots.html?ref=global-home) in Istanbul and other Turkish cities, a March 2013 poll conducted by the Pew Research Center shows Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan to be broadly popular in Turkey. The poll, which was conducted before the protests began, found a majority (62%) had a favorable view of Erdogan, while just 34% viewed him unfavorably. This is basically unchanged from 2012, when 59% of Turks had a positive view of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader.

![6-4-2013 4-49-20 PM](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2013/06/6-4-2013-4-49-20-PM.png)

Although Erdogan’s national popularity tracks closely with his party’s position in parliament (the AKP party holds 326 seats in the [Grand National Assembly of Turkey](http://global.tbmm.gov.tr/index.php/EN/yd/siyasi_parti_gruplari) out of 550 available), he is less popular in Turkey’s most populous city, Istanbul. Only 46% of Turks who live in Istanbul have a positive view of Erdogan, while 54% see him negatively. Istanbul is home to Taksim Square, where the protests began last week over the government’s [proposed plans to build](http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/01/world/europe/police-attack-protesters-in-istanbuls-taksim-square.html?pagewanted=all) replica Ottoman-era army barracks that would house a shopping mall.

Across Turkey, Erdogan also receives less support from more secular Muslims. Only 36% of Muslims in Turkey who pray infrequently (hardly ever or only during religious holidays) have a favorable view of the Islamist-oriented PM. Meanwhile, three-fourths of Turkish Muslims who pray five times a day have a positive view of him.

Here are more detailed [results and survey methodology](https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2013/06/05/erdogan-favorability-topline/).